davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-01-27
The Story of a Congressman.


NAAS A'CSAAAteAANe HAAA@OA'l
When the late Thompson H. Murch,
member of Congress from Maine in 1879,
who recently died in an insane hospital,
was but an infant he began his adven-
turous career by barely escaping in his
mothers arms from burning house
He went to sea when only 10 years of
age, and followed it as boy, seaman,
and cook for several years. The fund
of general information which served him
so we'll Cor so ilD in after life be picked
up by his habits of observation and by
attending school between voyages. On
one of his trips he caught the yellow
fever, and was brought to the point of
death. The life so stirringly begun was
filled with exciting incidents up to its
close. After leaving the ocean Murch
went West. In a railroad accident his
ribs were broken and he was otherwise
injured. Starting to walk 800 miles
through the wilderness to Saltwater,
Mimi, he was robbed of his small stock
of supplies by Indians, and lived for
several days on such things as he found
growing wild. Before he arrived at his
destination he was hired by a settler o
dig a cellar and afterward a well. He
then went into the woods of Michigan
as cook for party of lumbermen. Then
he and his brother, whom he found at
last, built tlatboat and took it down
the Mississippi River to Dubuque, and,
disposing of the boat, bought a farm in
Illinois. Mr.. Murch there cast his first
vote, in 1860, for Stephen A. Douglas.
Shortly after the close of the war Murch
came to Portland, Me-, and was employ
ed in repairing the Government fortifi-
cations. Then he engaged in business
for himself at Groton Junction, Mass,
but gave it up and returned to Maine
and found work at Dix Island, where he
remained from 1870 till 1877. During
this time he begun the work of political
agitation which lifted him to the height
from which he fell SO ingloriously.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-01-27
100 Doses One Dollar
Rheumatism and Catarrh Can be Cured.
CANANDArGUA. N. Y. Nav %. 1880.

CANANDATGUA, N. Y, May %, 1880.
Pdrdee Medicine Co.,
GENTLEMEN:-Nearlya all winter was con-
fined to my room with innammatory rheu-
matism. l commenced using DR.. Pardee's
Rheumatic Remedy, but after taking it for
a time the pain became more intense, and
was alarmed and feared the remedy was
making me worse, but continued its use and
soon the pain left me, and l gradually Inn
proved, the soreness leaving my arms and
shoulders and seeming to pass out at my tees.
1t has completely cured me- At the time
1 commenced using the remedy, had q
throat difficulty and the catarrh, which
found to be better after taking it, and it &C.
CURED to me to use it as gargle, which
did, and to my great satisfaction improved
rapidly, and to-day am free from both rheu-
matism and catarrh. 1 consider it indispens-
able as family medicine. I take ons tea
spoonful after breakfast, and find 1t q splen-
did tonic. would advise you to recommend
it as gargle for throat troubles and catarrh,
for know it will cure. I have seen some
remarkable cures from the use of this rem
edy, and it is one can recommend to all.
lam, very truly yours,
E. R. MCCALL
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-01-27
The Delaying Pin.

Says an English mate: We all know
that some years back, d particularly in
ships sailing from certain ports, the gen
eral rule of the British merchant service
was governed by Delaying pin. But l
thought that in the last few years this
kind of thing had almost disappeared
Some years ago was in want of ship
and would have gone almost anywhere
l was given an introduction to a man
who was master in a certain employ, but
who was then on shore, manager. He
asked me where | had been before, aud
learning that l had passed most of my
time in passenger vessels, said: q
don't think you'll suit. You see we
always calculate to handle our men
before we get out of the harbor, or as
soon after as possible, and we want a
mate who can fight and is not afraid to
knock few men down with whatever
comes handiest. So, you e, if you've
not been used to that business you won t
suit u.s." Fortunately | got better
offer and was spared the experience
The National Regie1o
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-01-27
WEALTH OF THE UNITED STATES.
Some Interesting Figures of our COuntry's
Growth and Prosperity,

The Thirteen statistical tables which
Mr.. EDWARD ATKINSON presents the Cen
tatry Magazine give an impressive idea OF
the material progress accomplished by
this country, during the first century OF
its national existence, now nearly COM
pleted.
It's population for the year 1887 he
computes at 50, 1898, 900, with an increase
for the census of 1890, according to the
estimate of Mr.. E. B. ELLIOT, ACtuary of
the Treasury Department, to "a, 476, 600
making little more than double the
population of 1860.
It's products include 3, Ola, 063, 994 bush
els of grain for the year 1885, against an
average of half that number for the five
consecutive years including 1870 and
1874; a hay crop of $40, AGO tons for
1884 against half that amount ten years
earlier; product of a, 500, 500 tons of
pig iron for 1885, and an estimated pro-
duct of 5000, 600 tons of 1900 pounds
each for 1886 against fewer than 2,0OO,-
900 tons fifteen years ago. A cotton crop
of 6, $50, 215 bales for 1886, or more
than three times that of twenty years ago.
We must also note that the aggregate of
twenty-one annual crops made by free
labor since the war, is TO the same num-
Der of crops made before the war by
slave labor as 90 is to So, while the
average weight of the bale has also in
creased.
Then, as to transportation, the 33,908
miles of railway in operation in 1865
have grown to 128, 967 miles in 1886,
with aggregate annual passenger and
freight receipts of more than $72G, 000,
900. The railways for the four years
ending in 1885 moved !, 597, 058, 562 tons
of food, tibres, fabrics, fuel, metal and
timber an average distance of III miles
each ton, at charge of So, 052, $40, 0S5.
Taking together several leading items
of progress, the relative gains in 1885,
as compared with 1865 have been in pop
ulation SO per cent. in the hay crop, 106;
in the cotton crop, 1914; in the grain
crop, 256; in railway mileage, $50; in
fire insurance, 80; in pig iron, 1856.
Upon the figures denoting the area of
the country it is hardly necessary to
dwell, save to observe that the fertile
State of Texas alone is larger than the
largest of European countries except
Russia; that California is larger than all
the British isles, and Florida than Eng
land and Wales.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-01-27
ChirOsGphy.

It was cold and bleak without, but
warm and bright within. They sat side
by side near the glowing CRATE, and
watched the Pickering freight as it
danced among the brio brac on the
tables. 7 hey were both in deep thought,
and no sound was heard save the sigh
ing of the wind among the trees in the
orchard and the measured tick of the
ormula clock which rested on bracket
against the opposite wall, and over
which was suspended a snow shovel
covered with violet velvet and trimmed
with pink satin ribbons.
cit was not an hour nor a scene for aught
But love and calm delight
The youth was manly in appearance and
the maiden a vision of beauty, and judg-
ing from their attitude and adjacency
they were lovers. Suddenly the maiden
broke the silence, the poetic silence:
Have you heard of this new science
called chirosophy?" she asked, in tones
sweeter than the musical tinkling of a
silver bell.
81 have, darling" he answered, in
accents of ineffaDle tenderness; mot
only heard of it, but have given it con-
siderable study"
'Dear mer' exclaimed the maiden.
4 am surprised. You have studied
chirosophy? Then perhaps you will
give me some instructions in the science?"
Certainly, my own. Please let me
have your hand"
"Oh, George!n murmured the maiden,
overwhelmed with confusion, and GRIM
son with bushes; this is so sudden"
"What is so sudden9" the youth asked
in surprise.
Your asking for my hand, " tremb-
lingly responded the maiden. ''But-
there what can | do but refer you to
pa, and believe me, dearest, you need
have no fear of the result. He will GER
talnly consent to my becoming your
wife"
Then. throwing herself on the neck
of her lover, the maiden gave vent to
her emotions in a flood of happy tears.
Let Us draw the curtain over this
affecting scene.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-01-27
The Landlady Laughed Not.

81 see, said the Professor, biting off
three-quarters of his muffin and dipping
the rest in his coffee, ''that the newspa.
pers are discussing the question, Does
lying paYP What do you thing of it,
Mrs. Fogg2"
"Well, " replied the landlady. with a
sarcastic smile lighting up her severe
features, 81 have had nothing but lying
from you for the past four weeks, and 1t
don't pay me. l think you had better
board elsewhere.
eyes" said the Professor, pouring the
contents of the cream jug over his oat-
meal, 81 frequently have"
"Frequently have what?" asked Mrs.
Fogg.
clad better board elsewhere, " replied
the Professor.
And the GOODNESS which then arose
between landlady and tenant was so
severe that those who sat between them
had their ears frostbitten.-LUe.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-01-27
A Champion Economist.

''That hoard of old Paine's reminds
me of story of one of our champion
economists, who lived near the theolog-
ical seminary. He was q mighty pro.
fessor in his day, and set so close an ex-
ample of thrift that if the old adage
about a penny saved being pound
earned had been true, he could have
made Andover Seminary the richest
foundation in the Union.
One day he stopped in at one of our
town stores to buy hat. The shop
man showed him two-one for SO and
one for So. While he old gentleman
stood hesltating, the salesman said
blandly: eff you will permit me, Pro
fessor, 1 should be pleased to make you
present of this hat" holding out the
most e pensive one.
The Professor took it, tried it on
again, shaped it tenderly to his hite
head, and replied sweetly: sob, thank
you, l am very much obliged to you,
but what did you say the price wasp
Give dollars" answered the shop.
man, bowling; 'but nothing to you,
sir"
"Well, I really thank you very much,
but if it is all the same to you l think /
will take the So hat and you can give
me the difference in change-$2 l think
you said"
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-01-27
Mrs. CleVeland's Correspondence.

A Washington correspondent says
Hall the letters of the first lady of the
land are from wives who tell her how to
manage the White House affairs. These
letters may be tiresome, but they must
be intensely amusing. think she might
retaliate on those who publish her letters
by giving theirs out. No doubt many of
them inform her about the best ways of
cooking, washing, ironing, making beds,
sweeping, &c. | have heard of one good
old lady living in the country who, on
being informed that the White House
had ten times as many rooms as her house
thought it was "nO wonder that the
poor thing Mrs. Cleveland) wanted her
mother to settle down there to help her
with the Housekeeping"
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-01-27
a Christmas ElOpemeat.
From Tid-Bits.1

IT was the night before Christmas.
Approaching mansion, Aubrey Mont
colin grasped his mule by the ears and
brought him under a second story win
dow. Much silence was lying round
about, mixed with darkness. Aubrey
gave q whistle in low voice. The Win
dow above went slowly up, and the
owner of a head p1t it out.
Then came voice like the music of
the spheres VIXEN they CRATE together:
aubrey is that you and the
muleN'
Darling Vinetta, it is us. Hurry up,
and climb down this mules ears; mount
behind, and we will cross the line into
Indiana and matrimony. First, reach
me down YOUR little bundle. Don't
make it large"
He dismounted and caught:
1. A hat, done up in a newspaper;
2. A bundle, in a shawl strap;
3. Another bundle, in shawl strap;
4. A cord bound hand basket;
5. A stuffed red band, box;
6. A stuffed blue band box;
7. A large bundle, rope-boundi
8. A well fed carpet sack;
8. Another hand box;
10. A we'll grown valise.
As one end of trunk protruded out
of the window above him, Aubrey
jumped aside and exclaimed. dearest
Vinetta, what are you going to do with
all this household furnitureg"
"Why, [ want to take something
along"
"Well, darling, we won't be gone
more than one day; besides / did not
bring q railroad truck. How are we to
freight these across the line? You need
no baggage. have only an extra paper
collar"
''Aubrey. you are just beginning to
get acquainted with woman. How can
She travel without little baggage!
This lot is nothing"
He had fallen across the pile in a
swoon. On recovering, he said:
Precious, these cannot go via mule"
"But they must go. insist"
'It is unutterably impossible"
"Then, Aubrey, the procession can't
start. / have only taken what | re
quire."
"Well, l cannot transport EN-"
GIN that case you cannot take me
t"Then our elopement and marriage
are off,
'Clear off," she cried, between
couple of signs.
Then so am I farewell forever"
And the sound of mule heels broke the
Christmas eve silence down the road.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-01-27
An And0yer Woman.

This story is told of the wife of an
eminent benefactor of the town, whose
residence was on Tia 'tHill." One day
while the lady was in the midst of prep
arations for the midday meal (this was
in the oIden time when people got up in
the morning and had dinner at the
proper time) a caller was announced
Hastily leaving the kitchen where she
was overseeing operations she entered
the next room where visitor was.
The door between the two was open,
and pretty soon the lady broke off the
conversation and called to the "help" in
the kitchen:
''Nancy, does the kettle boil!"
''No, mann"
Then the conversation was renewed,
to be broken again in few minutes by
the inquiry;
''Nancy, does the kettle boil9'
''NO, MAN"
''Then take the pine stick in the cor
ner and put it on the fire" This was
presumably done, for shortly after, when
imam" repeated her question:
''Nancy, does the kettle boil?"
eyes, m am, was the answer.
'Then take off the pine stick and put
it in the corner"
This shows a spirit of saving hardly
to be surpassed. boston Record.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-01-27
A STORY OF CABLES.
Fortune DeIved In the Rocks of Nevada
Invested in Ocean Wires.

1 he Portland (Oregon) Ne,0s, referr-
ing to the celebrations in the country on
the laying of the first cable across the
Atlantic in 1853, says
At that time on the banks of the Yuba
river there was young Irishman, with
pleasant face, very square shoulders
and very heavy muscles on his arms,
setting sluices and rolling rocks, some
times making So a day, sometimes SO,
but often not $3.50. TO those around
him when he talked he expressed the
hope that some time he would strike
bank which would yield him $4,000 or
S., 900, and then he was going to stop
mining, buy him farm and settle
down.
So the years went by until the rumor
went across the Sierras that mighy weir
of quartz, carrying strange black metal
which experts said was silver, had been
found, Hence, with the exodus there,
this miner went. There was no work
there for the sluice box, Everything
was under ground, and every inch of
advance had to be made with drill and
powder, for the stubborn rocks were
jealous of their treasure, and yielded
nothing except upon compulsion. There,
too, was a new difficulty. How to work
the ores was problem which had to be
solved. he old European and Spanish
American methods would not do; they
were too costly and too cumbersome to
operate on that bleak, desert mountain
side.
The miner followed the lead down as
it was opened. He was timberman,
FIJI
swelling clay of the Comstock will twist
fourteen inch square timber off IN
night. The miner worked, noted the
ore as it was mined, and soon knew
what was rich and what was poor. He
marked the formation, too, and the
habits of the lead At night, IN a cabin,
those two awful winters, when the
storms were raging, it was his wont to
declare that if he could make So, 900 he
would get out of the villianous place and
make home in some country with
less barbarous climate.
But while watching and waiting the
So, 900 came to him; then SO, 900, then
100000, then 1000, 900, and more
millions, until, from one pit in the deep
CULTS of the great fissure, he and his as
sociates took out SIG, O0O,O But 1t
did not spoil him; and when another
man proposed that they join together
and stretch new and improved cable
under the deep sea, he looked the mat
ter over, approved of it, and gave his
check for the required amount.
The Commercial cables stretched I'M
der the sea are copper, but it was first
spun, in wires of silver and gold, down
between the / 300 and 1,7O0 levels OF
the Comstock Do not let the fact be
forgotten, and when over that cable the
quotations are sent let thoughtful men
reflect that the sending of the messages
was made possible because some stub
born workers, when the dudes of Wall
street were sneering, continued to delve
among the emotionless rocks of the
desert until they yielded and gave up
their treasures.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-01-27
King of the Soapy Fits Trick.

One of the bitterest pangs for the
really deserving poor must be the
thought of the many iniquities that ny
pocrisy commits in their name. The
cruelest of these, perhaps, is the sham
practice seems to be almost as old as
lying itself, yet it admits of regular re-
vival in each generation of impostors.
A fellow charged with this offense at
Lamberth Police Court on Saturday was
said to be very old hand. An officer
of the Mendicity Society saw him have
these fits in successiOn-eaCh followed
of course by a collection-and very
properly invited him to finish the third
in police station. He uttered deep
groans, and foamed at the mouth in q
manner shocking to behold, until it be-
came manifest that his sign of suffering
was due to the simple, though I'M
savory expedient, of chewing piece of
soap, Nothing is really wasted in a
great city, and the bits of soap that are
too small for toilet use are, no doubt,
eagerly bought up by 1.-THE trade" in
sham epileptic fits. The practitioner in
question is said to stand at the very head
of his calling, and he is known profess
sionally as the liking of the Soapy Fits
Trick" In these stormy times the title
must seem enviable to many potentate
of wider dominion. The monarch in
question has one true note of royalty in
a sort of passive persistence in chosen
course. He has elected to live by chew
ing soap, and he goes on living by it, in
spite of years upon years of PRISON hard
labor, and even of one whipping. On
his release from Jail, apparently, he
begs, borrows, or otherwise provides
himself with piece of soap, and starts
in business again. If society, on the
one hand, never wearies of correcting
him, the King of the Soap Fits, on the
other, never wearies of being corrected.
1t is, perhaps, more discouraging for So
ciety than him. 1t is strange that no
one has thought of soliciting his testi-
monial to new soap. His recommen-
dation ought to be supreme authority
on the question of fathers. london Pa
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-01-27

God has provided for His people. We are like
group of people standing on the cold steps of
the National Picture Gallery, London, under
umbrellas in the rain, and you come along
and say: Why don't you go into the pic
ture gallery" They say: I'VE don't know
whether we can get in" You say: ''Tke
door is open" YES they say. sit is open,
but we have been staying here while and
we have got so attached to these cold steps
we propose to stay here" You say:
''You ought to go in, it is so grand and beau
tiful inside They say: mo, we know Just
it is in there" That is you and that is me-
Clinging on to this life as though it were all;
fOrgetful of the fact tn at the great picture
gallery, the great throne room, the
great grand sur and glory are all ahead,
In tho year 1885, the French thought in
Client they would have musical demonstra-
ton such as the world had never seen. and
1t was made up of the chime of bells and dis
charge of cannon. 1t was grand and glor!-
GUS success, nothing ever, perhaps, like 1t
heard on earth. 1t was a triumphal march
that has become a matter of history.
w hen the cannon were fired and when the
bells of all the churches and all the towers
rang the effect was overwhelming. But
grander will be the accOmpar cement of God $
children when they go out of this world at
the blast of the Judgment trumpet, ana When
God shall call them home the bells OF the
churches and all the towers and all the
ugnO houses VIII cnlne, ana the SOunu VIII 10
joined by the booming of bursting magazine
and fortress an augmented by all the cathe-
dral towers of Heaven. The harmonious ceies-
tial and the harmonious terrestrial united in
one great march fit to celebrate the ascent OF
a soul to where it shall shine as the stars for
ever and forever. With such considerations
we may look back upon the flying years with
out a single regret and with eSultation for
ward to the time when the archangel, with
one foot on the sea and the other on the land,
shall swear by Him that liveth forever and
ever that time shall be no longer
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-01-27

Physician--You are a very sick man,
Colonel, and I'm going to prescribe for
you. Let me see-five drops of capsi-
cum in gill of water. You will
take"
The Colonel ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
bath, is it?
Physician-Oh, no. This is to be
taken internally. You will take"
The Colonel (again interrupting)-
Never, Doctor, never.
Physician But you must,
The Colonel COMPATIBILITY Never,
sir! Do you want to kill me? Con
found it, sir, haven't taken that much
water in my whole life!
And then the Colonel turned his face
to the wall and defantIy whistIed "Old
Kentucky Home. "-PittSbatrgh Dis
patch.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-01-27
On Guard.


"Drive that dog Quit"
Gle won't go, sir"
'Tn find way to start him." said the
"Boss," angrily, as he hurled stick of
wood at the offending cur. The animal
retreated under the little carriage and
escaped unhurt.
81 think, sir" said a boy on the
premises, THAT the dog belongs to the
folks that left the kids cab here to be
mended."
"Oh, in that case he may stay" re-
marked the Boss indilferently.
The homely yellow dog curled him
self up contentedly, for he understood
the tone, if not the words, and he
stayed by the baby's carriage until 1t
was mended and taken home faithful to
the trust his loving nature had assumed.
Detroit Free Press.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-01-27
BuOyant Suits for Seaman.

A Norwegian engineer, W. c.. Mol
Ter, has found that reindeer hair and
skin possess remarkable buoyancy, and
when the unshorn skin is used as life
belt it has the advantage over cork of
warming the wearer while in the water.
He attributes great value to suits made
from reindeer hair, one of which of the
weight of pound may keep man
from drowning, while it furnishes
greater protection from cold than oil
skin and other materials.